Lazy Ways to Create the Perfect Home

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Monday Musings and How to Get Back on Track

For the lazy housewife it is SOOOOO easy to get behind. Even if we are *almost* caught up, a small change in schedule can throw us off and voila! we’re back to having a lot left on our to-do list. Below is my hectic two weeks and after the musings are some tips to help overcome those hectic weeks.

Musings

A lazy week in late January ran into a mini “vacation” where I went home to see my parents the first week of February. I was gone all week and thus, of course, accomplished nothing in my own house. Mom and Dad like my toned down spicy chicken chili, where I removed a bunch of the jalapenos and didn’t add ghost pepper. I did get to see the space shuttle Endeavor (awe-inspiring), dinosaur bones, and really expensive gems at the L.A. Natural History Museum. The epic rose garden was unfortunately closed but I enjoyed the museums nonetheless. I also got to play with Ma’s digital camera. Mine is about ten years old now with a spot on the lens so the pictures come out worse than my phone. But Ma has this fancy digital camera (Canon Rebel T5) that scares her it’s so fancy. So I played with it the entire time home. Took over 200 pictures in three days. It was great and now I’m thinking of asking for one for Christmas. Dear readers, I’m sorry none of these posts have pictures yet. That’s the procrastinating housewife for you. [And as I went to add some of those pictures WP got angry and won’t let me show them to you. I’ll try again later – perhaps.]

It was good seeing my parents again but my house is now chaos. The kitchen is a mess from three men at home; I haven’t vacuumed in a fortnight; all my holiday mats (which seemed fine in January) are horribly outdated; I’ve been neglecting my blog. Getting home was wonderful but I quickly noticed all the little things that needed to get done. But it was the weekend and the routine on the weekend is to be lazy with M. So I did that (not that I needed much convincing).

Today I am full of energy! I managed to get most of my laundry done, half the weeds in the backyard mowed, the floors swept, my laundry finished, put up the pirate ship shower curtain after six months of procrastinating, and went shopping. I finally bought a food dehydrator which I’ve been looking at for a year. Did all my research and settled on the Nesco Snackmaster 5 tray thingy (essentially this without kit). I used wedding money to buy it. Now I just have to use it.

For major musings: I’m thinking of scheduling a spring cleaning week the first week of March. It might be a great time to clean some back logged areas. Also, for the next couple of weeks, most of my chore time has to be spent on the backyard garden. I’ve got a number of projects and everything needs to be started by end February.

Tips to Get Back on Track

First, realize you are human and it is okay that not everything on your to-do list must get done right away. Have ants invaded your house? Are you behind on bills? Well, maybe you need to worry a bit and get a move on, but if your house is still standing and everyone is still alive, it’s probably okay that your living room doesn’t look perfect. Accept that you are human.

Second, along with the first point, remember you are your harshest critic. Others (usually) don’t notice you haven’t wiped the counters for three days, they don’t notice the slippers aren’t neatly lined up in the hall, and no guy will notice the Easter decorations still up in May. So you are your own harshest critic. Don’t worry if it takes a little bit longer to get back up to snuff.

Start with your regular routine stuff. Just build in a bit extra time for each step. So it takes an extra load of laundry, twenty more minutes to wipe down all of the counters and sink, and five extra minutes to change the bedding.

Tackle areas that are driving you (or those around you) nuts. For me this is dealing with the dishes and mowing down weeds.

Make a list of the things you want to get done or revise your old to-do list.

Relax – after all you are a procrastinating housewife. Did you do a few things? Great, the rest will keep until tomorrow.